Bowling game kit



June 17, 1969 D. c. BROWN 3,450,406

BOWLING GAME KIT Filed March 16, 1966 Sheet I pt 2 INVENTOR D wighf C. Brown June 17, 1969 D. c. BRQWN 3,450,406 7 v BOWLING GAME KIT Filed March 16, 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR Dwight C. Brown United States Patent U.S. Cl. 273-42 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bowling game kit including a carrying case for the pins and balls which can be converted to a pin-spotter when the pins and balls are removed. The carrying case has a top and bottom deck having openings for receiving the pins. In one embodiment of the invention, the top deck is hinged to the bottom deck and can be disposed in sloping relation with respect to the bottom deck for providing greater contact with the larger diameter portion of the pins, which enables the pins to be spotted in the deck openings and slid to a play location without tilting. In a second embodiment, a separate tray is inserted between the top and bottom decks for stabilizing the pins during movement.

My invention relates to a tenpin or duckpin type of bowling game kit for home use on the floor of a room or for outdoor use on a smooth surface.

One object of the invention is to provide a package or container for bowling game components, pins and balls, that serves as a packing and carrying case and also as a bowling pin-spotter, thus eliminating the need for a pin spotting layout sheet such as those generally furnished with bowling pin sets sold for toy and home use.

A further object of the invention is to provide in the form of a carrying case, a portable pin-spotter that facilitates gathering, assembling, and single action accurate spotting and sliding action placement of the pins in set-up position ready for play.

A still further object is to provide a combination carrying case and pin-spotter having individual pin openings or cells with a slightly larger diameter than the pin, the openings or cells extending above and below the large diameter of the pins to permit manual sliding of the assembled pins with-out throwing the pins substantially out of a true vertical position.

An additional feature of the invention is the novel and compact packaging of the pins and balls in a container so designed, proportioned and arranged to serve as a permanent carrying case.

Still another feature of the invention is to provide a combination carrying case and pin-spotter that can be constructed from one sheet of fiberboard, plastic or similar material that can be scored and assembled without the use of tape, adhesives or staples normally used for assembling packages and cartons.

This invention is of the same general type as that disclosed in an earlier Patent No. 3,059,924 granted Oct. 23, 1962, but embodies certain major improvements. The specific structure of these improvements and their advantages are explained in full detail in the following paragraphs.

While all the modifications are especially adaptable for use with plastic and similar composition pins and balls, they can also be used with pins and balls made of wood or metal. The combination carrying case and pin-spotter, although suitably adapted to fabrication from paperboard material, can also be fabricated either wholly or in part from metal, plastic, plywood, veneer and laminated material having a wood core with paper or paperboard on one side or both sides. The term paperboard as used Patented June 17, 1969 herein refers to and includes corrugated board, fiberboard and other paper and fibrous products. The paperboard material may be wholly or partly treated wit-h resins, inorganic silicates, glues, synthetic rubber compounds, moisture-proofing materials, plastics and similar type materials for stiflening and strengthening purposes.

Referring to the drawings 'for a more complete disclosure of the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of bowling game kit showing a combination carrying case and pin-spotter in a closed position ready -for transporting or storage.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the form of FIG- URE 1 showing the hinged lid lowered at the front to convert the carrying case for pin spotting.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the form of FIG- URE 2 in an inverted position ready for insertion of pins for pin-spotting.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective of the form of FIGURE 1 showing the lid in open position for removal or insertion of pins and balls.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view taken on section line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing horizontal position of pins when packaged and stored.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIGURE 7 is a plan or developed view showing the layout of the cut and scored fiberboard or other material which, when folded and assembled, constitutes the combination carrying case and pin-spotter.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of a combination shipping container, carrying case and pinspotter with the removable tray in an exploded position.

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of the form of FIGURE 8 showing the position of the tray when inverted to provide space for the balls and horizontal positioning of the pins when stored in the container.

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal sectional View of the form of FIGURE 8 showing the position of the tray when arranged for pin-spotting.

FIGURE 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the mating design of the top and bottom handle components of the form shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring to the combination carrying case and pinspotter shown in FIGURES 1-7, it consists of a modified triangular-shaped container having a body section 1 and top section 2, connected by a hinge 13A to the top of one of the body sides 4. The bottom deck 6 and the top deck 5 are provided with openings 7 and 8, respectively, to receive and hold the pins 9 in a vertical position as shown in FIGURE 3. The body and top sections have die-cut handle parts, 11 and 10 respectively, which fit together to form a carrying handle when the container is in closed position and the top section sides 12 are aligned inside the two body section side walls 16. The tapered bottom and curved end of the top section sides 12 make it possible to push the top section 2, when handle part 17 is straight up, down inside the body section 1 at the handle end. When this is done the top section deck 5 is secured in a sloping position relative to bottom deck 6 and the openings 7 and 8 in both decks 5 and 6 are properly aligned to engage the pins. When the container is in closed assembly as shown in FIGURE 1 the openings 7 and 8 are not in proper dimensional alignment to engage the pins.

The method of fabricating the container, especially from fiberboard material and similar products, is shown in the layout of FIGURE 7. A single sheet is scored and die-cut to provide fast and simple assembly by folding along the scored lines of 13 and 13A. The tabs 14 are inserted in slots 15 to secure the sides of the body section 1 in assembled position.

When storing the pins 9 in the open container shown in FIGURE 4, the pins 9 are placed in a horizontal position in the body section 1 as shown in'FIGURE 5. The balls are placed adjacent to the pins near the handle area and such assembly makes a good fit in the container. In lowering the top section 2 to a horizontal position to close the container, the sides 12 are guided inside the body section side walls 16. The container can then be carried by the two mating handle components 10 and 11.

For playing action the closed container FIG. 1 is opened and the balls and pins are removed. The container is then converted to a pin-spotter by moving the handle component 17 straight up and pushing the top section 2 down inside the body section 1 at the handle end. This secures the top deck 5 in a sloping position and properly aligns the openings 7 and 8 for engagement of pins 9. The container is then inverted with deck 6 above deck 5. The pins 9 are placed in the openings and properly positioned for play by sliding the pin-spotter to the desired location. By sloping or moving deck 5 closer to deck 6, the holes 7 are also positioned closer to the larger diameter part of pins 9 to provide contact with the pin sides around the larger diameter part of the pin during the sliding action on the floor. This prevents the pins 9 from substantially canting or tipping during their slide to the desired play location. The pins 9 are then accurately spotted by raising the pinspotter vertically up over the tops of the pins.

As the game is generally played by two or more people, each participant will take a turn in performing the functions of a pin boy. Progressively as the pins are knocked down the participant acting as pin boy, and stationed adjacent to one side of the pin set-up area, picks up the knocked down pins from the floor and places them in the pin-spotter. After the required number of balls have been thrown and all pins have been gathered and placed in the pin-spotter, the player acting as pin boy slides the pinspotter .with the pins intact to the proper location and spots the pins. In sliding the pin-spotter to proper location, the pins are retained in a substantially true vertical position by contact with the sides of the openings 7 and 8 in the two spaced-apart decks. Although the deck 5 is sloping in the form shown in FIGURE 2 such design provides sufficient vertical contact with the sides of the pin openings to retain the pins in a substantially vertical position during sliding motion and release from the pin spotter.

The dimensions of the container will vary according to the size of the pins and balls used. It is important that the deck of the body section and the deck of the top section be positioned the required height from floor level, respectively for each deck, to provide contact with the pin sides around the large diameter part of the pin during sliding action on the floor.

The modified form shown in FIGURE 8 to 10 is also a combination carrying case and pin-spotter. This kit consists of a modified triangular-shaped container having a bottom body section 18 and top section 19 connected by a hinge 20 to the top of one of the body sides, and a removable tray 21. Openings for the pins are provided in the tray, the body section 18 and the top section 19. A fastener component 22 attached to the body section engages the fastener component 23 attached to the top section to secure the container in closed position for carrying. When the tray 21 is inverted and nested down inside the body section as shown in FIGURE 10, there is sufficient space provided for storage of the balls and the pins when the pins are placed in horizontal position. When the tray 21 is removed and re-inserted in the body section 18 with the fiat deck in up position as shown in FIGURE 8, the container can then be used as a pin-spotter, after closing the top section 19, as shown in FIGURE 10.

To convert the packed container carrying case shown in FIGURE 9 to a pin-spotter, the balls, pins and tray 21 are removed, and the tray inverted and reinserted in the container with the edge part of the horizontal flat section resting on the bottom of the body section and along side the inner wall. With this arrangement the pin openings in the tray and the top section provide the necessary contact around the large diameter part of the pins required to stabilize and secure the pins in proper vertical position during sliding action on the floor.

Although the containers shown herein have openings for the pins, a fully enclosed dustproof pack for shipping purposes can be provided by the insertion of two paperboard or plastic sheets, one sheet being placed inside the container resting on the bottom deck, and the other sheet placed on top of the pins and balls. For display purposes the upper sheet can be removed and the pins inserted in the top section openings in a vertical position.

Although only modified triangular-shaped combination carrying cases and pin-spotters are shown herein, it is understood that combination carrying cases and pinspotters having the features embodied in this invention can be made using rectangular-shaped containers and forms. In such application, the deck openings for housing of the pins would be arranged in the same regulation triangular layout indicated in the illustrations included herein.

The dimensions of kits shown in FIGURES 1 to 7 and FIGURES 8 to 10 will be in accordance with the dimensions of the pins and balls currently sold on the market. In most instances, the pins and balls are proportionate to the sizes of pins and balls used in a regulation tenpin or duckpin bowling alley game. With such true proportionate sizes used with these kits, the diameter of the pins will be less than half of the height of the pins and the diameter of the balls will exceed the diameter of the pins.

In lieu of fabrication from only one sheet of fiberboard or other suitable material as shown in FIGURE 7, the body and top sections of the containers may be scored and cut from separate sheets of material and assembled together by use of adhesive tape or other suitable means or left unattached where applicable to obtain the desired pin-spotting features and performance as outlined herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable carrying case for storing at least one ball and a plurality of bowling pins having a larger diameter portion adjacent their mid-section, said case being convertible to a pin-spotter for setting said pins in an upright, spaced play position and comprising a box-like structure including a body section having a substantially planar bottom deck, said bottom deck having a plurality of spaced openings, a plurality of upright sidewalls connected to the edges of said bottom deck, and a top section, said top section including a top deck spaced from said bottom deck and of a dimension to enter the space confined by said body section sidewalls, said top deck being hingedly connected to one of the upright sidewalls of said body section for pivotal movement past the top edges of the upright sidewalls of said body section into and out of the interior of the space confined by said sidewalls, said top deck including sidewalls along opposed lateral edges extending downwardly towards said bottom deck having a tapered bottom edge terminating in a curved end adjacent said sidewall of said body section to which said top deck is hingedly connected for contact with said sidewall to facilitate pivotal movement of said top deck, said top deck including a plurality of spaced openings corresponding in number and position to the openings in said bottom deck, said top and bottom decks being spaced apart a sufficient distance when parallel to provide a compact storage space for said ball and pins when disposed in a horizontal position, said openings in said top and bottom deck being in substantial vertical alignment when said decks are parallel and of a dimension to receive said pins therethrough, the sides of said openings in said top deck being positioned closer to pins positioned through said aligned openings in said decks when said top deck is pivoted into the interior of said body section whereby said box-like structure can be used as a pin-spotter by moving said top deck from a position parallel to the bottom deck into the interior of said body section in sloping relation, inverting said boxlike structure, and disposing said pins through said aligned openings, the sloping top deck having the sides of its open ings positioned closer to the larger diameter portions of the pins so as to stabilize said pins and preclude said pins from substantially tilting during sliding of the pins positioned through said openings to a playing position, and means carried by said box-like structure for locking said top and bottom decks together in substantial parallel relation whereby it can function as a carrying case for said ball and pins.

2. The carrying case of claim 1 wherein said last-named means includes interlocking handle elements.

3. The carrying case of claim 2 wherein said carrying case is formed from a single blank of sheet material.

0 ANTON 0.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

